Tina was trembling and she was already crying. She knew that at least the Dr. had some kind of idea that he was not going to be breaking the news to someone that didn't have a clue. This was the one part of his job that he really hated doing which was telling someone that their loved one was not going to make it no matter what they were going to do.
He sat down across from the two and explained her dad's condition, and the things that they have tried along with the steps that they were taking, but there was not much that they were going to be able to do for him, other than ease his pain during the process.
He said, "As soon as he is out of the last test, we will let you see him but the chances that he will wake up are very slim."
He made his apologies for her loss and the fact that there was nothing else that he was going to be able to do for him. He lightly touched her on the shoulder to show his concern for her well-being, giving her a chance to take it all in. He had some young girls her age that needed to be held for a bit with news that bad, so he wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay. When the two girls hugged, he knew that she had the support that she was going to be needing. So, he left them in the room saying, "You can use the room as long as you need, we will find you when your dad is in a place where you can see him."
Tina nodded but was too choked up to say a word. He stepped out and closed the door and all he could do was try not to think about it anymore he had other patients that he needed to concentrate on now.
Becky held her tightly she didn't know exactly what she was feeling but she knew that if it was her that was going through all that she would want a friend holding her.
After a while, Tina said, "It's getting late and there is no need for both of us to miss graduation and even if I get to see him soon there is no way that I will be able to make mine. I think that you should just go ahead and go to it I will get a ride from my mom when it comes time."
Becky looked at the time and saw that it was getting late, and she knew that there were still a lot of things that she needed to do before it starts. Still, she asked, "What about the party that we were having are you going to miss out on that too?"
Tina said, "I am not going to be in the mood to party no matter what so if you could just let Ken and the others know that I am sorry for missing it. That would be great I don't really feel like talking to most of them right now."
Becky got the biggest frown it was bad enough that she had her father sick and dying in the hospital, but now she was going to miss her graduation and a killer party that they had been planning for months. Becky didn't think that she would be going to any of the parties that she had been invited to and Becky didn't know of any worse punishment that anyone could have given her.
As Becky left, she said, "If you change your mind and decide that you can come, I'll come and get you." But she knew that there was no way that was going to happen.
With a wave of goodbye, she left so that she could finish getting ready for everything. Tina returned her wave and tried to give her a smile and said, "Thanks for helping me."
Becky gave her a huge smile that faded quickly then said, "I hope everything turns out ok."
Tina thought there was no point staying in this little room and she was still wondering what is going on with her mom and wondered if she had come back inside yet or not.
Tina went into the large waiting room, but her mom was nowhere to be seen she looked outside but she was not standing where she had seen her last. As she was looking for her mom a nurse came up to her and asked if she was Tina.
Tina nodded and said, "Yes. What is it? Can I see my dad now?"
The nurse could see just how anxious she was just by the way that she was asking. "Yes. I am here to take you to him. But you will not be able to stay long, and we are not sure if he is going to wake up right now."
Tina nodded and wondered why she couldn't stay as long as she wanted if all he was doing was sleeping. But at that point, she would have agreed to about anything just so that she would be able to go see him.
The nurse said right this way she didn't know just what to tell her she knew that she was going to be in for a shock it was like his appearance had changed just during the time that he was there enough that she could barely recognize him from the time that he first came in. She knew that it was going to hit Tina hard, but what do you say to a person that is going to be facing that?
The Nurse not knowing what to say just walked silently and showed her to the room. The nurse showed her the door and said, "Try not to stay too long if he wakes, he will be in a lot of pain and is better off sleeping. By the way, his appearance has changed some try not to let it show too much."
Tina nodded as the tears streamed down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and braced herself then pushed the door open.
There he lay in the bed almost motionless but as she looked at him. She could tell he was her dad, but it looked like he had aged 40 years overnight. She knew that he had been sick for a long time, and she had mostly been staying away, so she hadn't really seen him in a month, but there was no way that he should be looking that old.
Tina bit her bottom lip almost hard enough to break the skin trying to keep from making any noise. Her mom was sitting beside her dad, and she was holding onto his hand.
Tina asked, "What happened? How did he get this bad?"
June whispered, "You know he was sick. There was nothing we could do to get him better. It was not like you were around to help or do anything." As her tone became mean and very cross.
Tina just looked at her for a moment and thought it was not like I was going to do this here right in front of him and after all, if she was not the one making me feel so uncomfortable then I would have been around more. Tina thought that it must just be that she was so worried about him that she was acting that way.
Tina said, "I know but I am hurting too you know."
It was to let her mom know that she was understanding, but she was feeling just as much pain as she was. Her mom shot her a look that was like how do you know what I am feeling and how dare you presume to play the part of the wounded child?
This was all so confusing to her. She knew that they had not been getting along all that well but now it was feeling like they were strangers even more than she ever had before.
Tina walked over to her father's bedside and carefully took his hand. She didn't want to fight with her mom, so she just stood there quietly. Her heart was aching, and she just wanted him to wake up so that she could talk to him. Tina glanced over at her mom, and she had never seen her this torn up about anything before. That didn't mean that she liked being treated this way, but she guessed that she could cut her some slack on it.
Tina felt her dad move a little, so she gently squeezed his hand to let him know that they were there for him. She was delighted when he opened his eyes as she was holding his hand. He saw them both sitting there holding his hands and that made him feel a lot better. After all, what more could you ask for than to have the ones that you love at your side?
At first, he just ignored his wife and said the things that he thought she needed to hear and the things that he needed to say. He told her how he couldn't have asked for a better daughter and that he was sorry that the things that she was going through were partly because of his work.
He started to explain things to her when her mom cut him off and said, "There is no reason to go into all that while you are not feeling well."
Tina looked over at her and she looked really nervous as if he was about to say something that she didn't want him to.
Sam said, "Oh Diana, you know it is about time that she hears the truth about everything. I have seen the way that you two are and the way that you treat her when you think I am not paying attention maybe it would have been better to just tell her from the start no matter how young she was."